Why RPF cruised to victory in House polls

The ruling Rwanda Patriotic Party (RPF) cruised to a resounding victory in this week’s parliamentary polls, sweeping 41 seats out of a possible 53, in a repeat of the 2008 show.

That represented an overwhelming 76.22 per cent of the total votes cast, according to the final results released by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) yesterday.  RPF, which stood alongside four smaller parties, will now dominate the lower House for another five years.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) which came a distant second polled 13.03, with the Liberal Party (PL) collecting 9.29 per cent, while PS-Imberakuri failed to garner the minimum five  per cent required for any political party or independent candidate to join the House, only scraping a paltry 0.56 per cent in the Monday poll.

Equally, none of the four independents   could reach the constitutional threshold.“I congratulate all Rwandans upon having a free and fair election; the process was noticeably peaceful. It solidifies our democratic process,” NEC chief, Prof. Kalisa Mbanda said, while announcing the results yesterday.The voter turnout was 98.8 per cent of the 5,953,531 registered voters, according to NEC. Most observers have already endorsed the polls, saying they were free and fair.

Why RPF cruised to victory in House polls